Written Answers Friday 26 February 2010

Scottish Executive

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether due diligence was undertaken regarding the governance arrangements of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation before paying a grant to that organisation; whether that due diligence included ascertaining the names of members of the board of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, and whether membership and articles of association were in place setting out the relationship between the board and the chief executive officer of that organisation that would satisfy the requirements of the Companies Act 1985 and charity law legislation.

Alex Neil: Audit Scotland conducted an enquiry into Scottish Government funding awarded to the Scottish Islamic Foundation in response to a request from George Foulkes MSP. Audit Scotland examined all matters connected with SIF funding applications and clearly and definitively concluded that the appropriate procedures and processes were followed.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-15005 by Fergus Ewing on 3 September 2008, whether it will detail the procedures that were followed in the award to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation of £200,000 in connection with the proposal for an IslamFest, including (a) when notification was issued inviting applications for the published award scheme, (b) what the closing date for applications was and when the relevant application was received, (c) what the published criteria were against which proposals were to be scrutinised and whether all the criteria were met in this case, (d) whether a panel met to scrutinise and score applications and, if so, what recommendations it made in this case and (e) whether the grant letter included a clear specification of the purposes for which awarded monies should be used and, if so, whether it will publish this specification.

Alex Neil: Funding for IslamFest was not a part of an open bidding process when it was given Ministerial approval in March 2007 by the previous administration. The commitment given was rolled forward by the current administration. I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-15063; S3W-15066, and S3W-15067 on 3 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The grant offer letter detailing conditions of grant for IslamFest funding is already in the public domain and can be found at:

  http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/files/FOI%20-%2000825.pdf.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-15005 by Fergus Ewing on 3 September 2008, whether it will detail the procedures that were followed in the award to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation of £190,000 in relation to Empowering Youth: Future Leaders, including (a) when notification was issued inviting applications for the published award scheme, (b) what the closing date for applications was and when the relevant application was received, (c) what the published criteria were against which proposals were to be scrutinised and whether all the criteria were met in this case, (d) whether a panel met to scrutinise and score applications and, if so, what recommendations it made in this case and (e) whether the grant letter included a clear specification of the purposes for which awarded monies should be used and, if so, whether it will publish this specification.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15820 on 3 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/apps2/business/pqa/default.aspx.

  Information on the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Funding Stream for 2008-2011 is available on-line and can be found at:

  http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/366.10.223.html.

  The grant offer letter detailing conditions of grant for Empowering Youth: Future Leaders funding is already in the public domain and can be found at:

  http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/files/scottish%20islamic%20foundation.pdf.

  Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Funding Stream 2008-11: Background Papers can be found in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50160).

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-15005 by Fergus Ewing on 3 September 2008, whether it will publish a breakdown of the uses to which £10,152 and £5,600 awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation for set-up costs and training costs respectively were put and what individuals or organisations were paid to provide the services procured.

Alex Neil: A breakdown of the uses for which the £10,152 and £5,600 grants were given has already been published and can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/SIFapplicationofficecosts.

  The grant offer letter detailing conditions of grant for the set-up and training cost funding is already in the public domain and can be found at:

  http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/files/FOI%20-%2000825.pdf.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-15005 by Fergus Ewing on 3 September 2008, how many future leaders have been empowered as a result of the £190,000 grant to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation; how these leaders were selected; what activities they took part in; what evaluation has been undertaken of the programme’s effectiveness; who paid for any such evaluation, and where any such evaluation information can be accessed by members of the public.

Alex Neil: The Empowering Youth: Future Leaders project is being funded through the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration (RRRI) Funding Stream 2008-11. The project aims to work with young Muslims aged between 18 and 25 years old and a core group of 40 young people are directly benefiting from the programme. As with all of the RRRI Funding Stream projects, independent monitoring and evaluation is carried out by the Voluntary Action Fund. Grant conditions, including financial monitoring, are attached to all funding provided by the Scottish Government. In line with standard practice for other Scottish Government funding streams, there are no plans to publish the monitoring and evaluation information collected in relation to the individual projects being funded through the RRRI Funding Stream.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place regarding grants being made to charitable bodies that are not yet registered as charities; whether the procedures adopted in providing grants to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation in advance of that organisation being registered as a charity were fully in accordance with these guidelines or the normal practice of the relevant directorate, and, if not, whether ministers were informed.

Alex Neil: Individual organisations do not need to be registered charities to receive funding from the Scottish Government. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-28953 by Alex Neil on 3 December 2009, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of what the £72,000 not returned by Scottish-Islamic Foundation was spent on; whether any of that money was passed on by the Scottish-Islamic Foundation to other organisations or paid out to any individual, and what public benefit was gained from this expenditure.

Alex Neil: The £72,000 spent by the Scottish Islamic Foundation has been to develop IslamFest in order to help strengthen community cohesion in Scotland. A programme of IslamFest events was published by the Scottish Islamic Foundation on 17 February 2010. A breakdown of the £72,000 is already in the public domain and can found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1137/0089899.pdf.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15067 on 3 September 2008 and S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-28953 by Alex Neil on 3 December 2010, on what basis ministers did not demand the return of the full amount of £200,000 awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation and whether at any point the reporting officer indicated that they were not satisfied that the money allocated was properly accounted for or expressed concern that it might not represent value for money

Alex Neil: The IslamFest grant was provided for the development of activity to help strengthen community cohesion in Scotland. A programme of IslamFest events was published by the Scottish Islamic Foundation on 17 February 2010.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31185 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the letters and emails that were sent, and list the telephone calls that were made, by its officials, special advisors and ministers between 7 April and 1 June 2009 to Mr Osama Saeed or the Scottish-Islamic Foundation in relation to repayments due to the Scottish Government and the responses that were received, showing the date, nature and content of each communication.

Alex Neil: All releasable correspondence relating to the period 7 April and 1 June 2009 is already in the public domain and can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/RRRIFOI and

  http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/366.10.223.html.

  The Scottish Government does not routinely keep a log of telephone conversations.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to a report in The Sunday Herald on 24 January 2010 about money awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, how many staff were paid out of the £41,216 spent on salaries; what period their employment covered; what the annual salaries of the individuals concerned were, and what proportion of their salaries was paid from the Scottish Government grant.

Alex Neil: The figure of £41,216 for the 2008-09 financial year was from the Scottish Government grant awarded for IslamFest. This represents the project manager salary of £33,923; an administrator’s salary of £5,813, and national Insurance contributions of £1,480. Project management of the IslamFest initiative is part the chief executive’s role.

  I also refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-15067 on 3 September 2008 and S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to a report in The Sunday Herald on 24 January 2010 about money awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, on what the remaining £30,200 of the £72,416 not returned to the Scottish Government was spent and whether any of this amount is recoverable.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31185 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The Scottish Government is not seeking to recover the £72,000 used to develop IslamFest. The programme of IslamFest events has been published and is taking place in March and April 2010.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it continues to support the Scottish-Islamic Foundation in its attempt to promote an Islamic Expo and, if so, what financial and non-financial form this support takes.

Alex Neil: No further funding is being provided by the Scottish Government to support the delivery of IslamFest activity and no further requests for support of any kind for IslamFest has been received. It is right that the Scottish Government is supportive of all activity which will promote community cohesion and help support economic activity.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what other organisations or individuals, aside from the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, it has had discussions, communications or contact with regarding a proposal for an Islamic Expo and whether it will list the persons and organisations with whom it has met or communicated on this subject and the relevant dates.

Alex Neil: The proposals for IslamFest were discussed with the Scottish Islamic Foundation and organisers of the IslamExpo events. I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-15009 on 3 September 2008; S3W-18948 on 19 December 2008, and S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish-Islamic Foundation’s literature in connection with its proposed Islamic Expo has featured Scottish Government branding; if so, whether it continues to feature such branding and, if not, what actions were taken by ministers, special advisers or officials to secure discontinuation of the branding.

Alex Neil: All projects and initiatives which receive Scottish Government funding are entitled to use the appropriate Scottish Government branding in relation to the work for which they received that funding. While all projects are obliged to acknowledge the support they receive from the Scottish Government in relation to the initiatives being funded, there is no obligation for the organisation to also use Scottish Government branding.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to a report in The Sunday Herald on 24 January 2010 about money awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, whether the Minister for Community Safety and Minister for Housing and Communities instructed officials at a meeting on 21 May 2010 to arrange a ministerial meeting with Mr Osama Saeed or whether that instruction was given once Mr Saeed had provided a cheque for £128,000 on 1 June 2009.

Alex Neil: The Minister for Community Safety and I asked officials to arrange a meeting with Mr Saeed prior to Mr Saeed providing a cheque for £128,000 on 1 June 2009. The meeting took place on 3 June 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31187 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Communities

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-29577 by Alex Neil on 21 December 2009, when it expects to announce its decision on the reallocation of the £128,000 paid back by the Scottish-Islamic Foundation.

Alex Neil: The recovered funds will be utilised to meet expenditure priorities for the Scottish Government in the normal way.

Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the procedure for recall of a direct measure mentioned by the Solicitor General in evidence to the Justice Committee on 26 January 2010 ( Official Report c. 2661) has been used by Scottish courts since the coming into force of the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Court Service assumed responsibility for collection and enforcement of fiscal penalties (fines, compensation and a combination of both) as of 10 March 2008 by virtue of the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  In evidence to the Justice Committee the Solicitor General made reference to recall of direct measures in the context of fiscal penalties. Of the 68,858 fiscal penalties registered between 10 March 2008 and 30 September 2009, 322 (0.5%) have been subject to recall.

Flooding

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Fife Council regarding the flooding of the Kinness Burn in St Andrews since 2005.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not formally discussed flooding from the Kinness Burn with the Council. However, the council did provide officials with a copy of the Final Report of the Kinness Burn Flood Study , dated March 2006.

Flooding

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to prevent further flooding of the Kinness Burn in St Andrews.

Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for Fife Council which has powers under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 to mitigate the flooding of non-agricultural land in its area. We will be bringing Part 4 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 into effect later this year. This will update the current legislation and introduce a more sustainable and modern approach to flood risk management, suited to the needs of the 21st century and to the impact of climate change. Under the new legislation, responsibility for the implementation of measures to manage flooding from burns will remain with local authorities.

Legal Aid

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in (a) how many and (b) what percentage of cases that have received legal aid has a plea of not guilty been submitted in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriffdom in the west of Scotland, and in (i) how many and (ii) what percentage of these cases has a guilty verdict been pronounced.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Ministerial Engagement

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , in view of its commitment to publishing details of engagements carried out by all ministers on a monthly basis six months in arrears, for what reason information on its website lists only engagements up until 13 March 2009 and when it expects to update these records and make them public.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to the proactive release of information. However, the collation and co-ordination of the engagement information is taking longer than anticipated and it is hoped that this information will be released in the near future.

Parliamentary Questions

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an answer to question S3W-31213, which was due for answer on 12 February 2010.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31213 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to ensure that a greater focus is placed on female prisoners at Scottish Prison Service Board level.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS board is focussed on the needs of female offenders and has commissioned the development of the SPS strategy for the management of women in custody, with an associated action plan. This will be published week beginning 1 March 2010.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to issues raised in the recent HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Cornton Vale, what steps it will take to ensure that any prisoner in Bruce or Younger houses will be allowed to use the toilet promptly, ending delays of up to two hours.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  An option appraisal will be conducted to assess whether the time to access toilet facilities in Cornton Vale can be further improved.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a Scottish Prison Service plan to improve the conditions at HMP Cornton Vale, particularly in Peebles, Bruce and Younger houses.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Improvements are already planned. Work will begin at the start of the new financial year which will include painting, decorating and improvements to cell furniture.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will end the use of the back cells in HMP Cornton Vale and adopt a new approach to the management of vulnerable and disturbed women in the prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  A separate care facility (not a segregation unit) will be considered as part of a business case to provide better management of those who are acutely unwell and aggressive. In the mean time existing exclusion areas in Cornton Vale will be refurbished.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the use of video links between HMP Cornton Vale and courts.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Cornton Vale has video conferencing facilities available for this purpose. Discussions will take place with the Scottish Court Service to explore the potential to increase the take-up of this facility.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times video links were used in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009 between HMP Cornton Vale and courts.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Video links between HMP Cornton Vale and courts have been used once in each of the last two years: to London Magistrates Court in 2008 and to Wolverhampton Magistrates Court in 2009.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what establishments Scottish Prison Service listener schemes exist and how many listeners there are in each establishment.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prisoner Listener Scheme is a Samaritan Scotland delivered service and is normally available in all of Scottish Prisons. Currently, the only exception is HM YOI Polmont where the service has been suspended. Discussions are ongoing between HM YOI Polmont and the local branch of Samaritans to establish what can be done to reintroduce the Listener Scheme at this establishment.

  The number of listeners within each establishment varies depending on prisoner movement, the number of prisoners offering their time and willing to be trained as listeners, and the capacity of the local Samaritan branch to support the service. Consequently, listener numbers at each establishment are not fixed and tend to fluctuate due to the above factors. We are currently consulting Samaritan partners to confirm the number of active listeners at each prison and will provide the this information by 5 March 2010.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether schemes equivalent to the Scottish Prison Service Listener Scheme exist in HMP Kilmarnock and HMP Addiewell and, if so, how many listeners are involved in each.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Listener Scheme is available in HMP Kilmarnock and HMP Addiewell. Currently, HMP Addiewell has four trained listeners whilst HMP Kilmarnock has five trained (two active at present) plus 10 others in line for training.

  The number of listeners within each establishment varies depending on prisoner movement, the number of prisoners offering their time and willing to be trained as Listeners, and the capacity of the local Samaritan branch to support the service. Consequently, listener numbers at each establishment is not fixed and tends to fluctuate due to the above factors.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the issue of advertising the Scottish Prison Service Listener Scheme, which was identified in the recent HM Inspecorate of Prisons report on HMP Cornton Vale, is being addressed in all prisons.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Listener Scheme is operating in all prisons with the exception of HM YOI Polmont where work is currently underway to reinvigorate this service.

  A number of methods are used to advertise the listener scheme which includes: a presentation on the listener scheme during prisoners’ induction; a DVD explaining the service and how individuals can access it; posters displayed throughout the prison including room/cell doors, phone hoods and notice boards in all areas. Prisoners who fulfil the listener role are also active in promoting the listener scheme.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Suicide Risk Management Group of HMP Cornton Vale did not meet in the two quarters after March 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  One meeting of the Suicide Risk Management Group was cancelled for operational reasons, the other was postponed due to staff absences and vacancies.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all prisoners held under Rule 37 of the Prison Rules applying to the Scottish Prison Service estate have care plans and whether those plans always include input from a qualified psychiatrist.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Rule 37 of The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2006 relates specifically to the duty of the medical officer to bring to the attention of the establishment governor certain healthcare matters that may impact on the prisoner’s management, wellbeing and where appropriate advise clinical recommendations for addressing such matters.

  The rule does not impose cellular confinement on grounds of mental health, nor does it relate specifically to this type of illness. Therefore additional input from a Psychiatrist is rarely required, unless he or she is the medical officer notifying the governor of the health matter that needs to be addressed.

  Prisoners who are managed under Rule 37 have a care plan in place which outlines appropriate support and interventions required for that individuals care according to their healthcare requirements. Each case will be discussed at a Multi Disciplinary Mental Health Team meeting and where appropriate they will be seen by a qualified psychiatrist whose input will be incorporated into individual care plans where mental health issues require this.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the agreed policy of the Scottish Prison Service to develop visitor centres will lead to the conversion of the old staff restaurant at HMP Cornton Vale and the development of a centre manned by volunteers.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS recognises that existing visiting facilities at Cornton Vale could be improved. A business case is being developed for consideration and SPS will continue to explore ways of improving visit facilities within current resource constraints.

  The SPS policy is not to build external visitor centres as such an approach does not allow visitors and prisoners to engage jointly in solving problems. Services for families will be developed and where possible visitor services and facilities will be integral to the prison to encourage offenders to take responsibility for family issues.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether methadone will be given to all prisoners who have been prescribed the medicine on the day of release from prison, provided that contact has been made with the appropriate community prescriber.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Methadone will be given prior to liberation if requested by the community prescriber due to distance travelled or limited appointments.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements exist for vulnerable female prisoners to be transported home from HMP Cornton Vale on discharge and connected immediately to the relevant community services.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The establishment is developing, along with community partners, options for the support of prisoners on the day of liberation.

  A number of options already exist for a "pick up" service on the day of liberation through providers such as: Routes out of Prison (ROOP); Circle of Support and the Throughcare Addictions Services (TAS). The option for referrals to various community partners is also available and each case is managed on an individual.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many female prisoners were designated as having no fixed abode on their admission to HMP Cornton Vale in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many female prisoners were designated as having no fixed abode on their discharge from HMP Cornton Vale in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information is only available on a "real time" basis and not available historically. Currently there are approximately 12% of prisoners at HMP Cornton Vale who have indicated they are No Fixed Abode.

Water Services

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to assist local authorities to carry out work to prevent flooding of burns, rivers and streams.

Roseanna Cunningham: Since 2007 the Scottish Government has made record levels of funding available to local authorities for flood alleviation measures. This is included within the significant levels of funding the Scottish Government gives to local authorities - £35 billion over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. For 2009-10, local government was provided with a general capital grant of £462.64 million which included £42 million for flood risk management. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to (a) ministers and (b) Scottish Water requesting the removal of fences around Milngavie reservoir erected following a direction by the Home Secretary in 2003 under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002.

Roseanna Cunningham: We are not aware of any such requests that have been made to Scottish ministers. We understand that you made representations to Scottish Water about the removal of the fences in October 2006, September 2008 and December 2009. East Dunbartonshire Council raised the issue in 2008 and 2009 at its twice yearly Katrine Water project liaison meetings with Scottish Water and the council’s chief executive wrote to Scottish Water in January 2010 on the subject.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review in conjunction with Home Office ministers the continuing need for security fences at Milngavie reservoir on national security grounds.

Roseanna Cunningham: A review of the existing security measures has already taken place and Scottish Water has agreed in principal with the Government security adviser on what changes can be made. My officials have asked Scottish Water to estimate the cost of these changes and to consider the funding options available to them. Once we know the cost and the funding has been agreed, we will consult the Home Office about Directing Scottish Water to carry out the work.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the commissioning of the new Milngavie water treatment works has rendered unnecessary a number of security measures put in place following a direction by the Home Secretary in 2003 under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002.

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Water has agreed with the government security adviser what changes can take place to the security measures following the commissioning of the new works.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has not responded to Scottish Water’s application of April 2009 for authority to remove many of the security measures put in place at Milngavie reservoir on national security grounds.

Roseanna Cunningham: My officials have responded to a confidential memo that Scottish Water sent to them in April 2009 asking for clarification on the steps required to be taken to carry out changes to the security measures at Milngavie. We are not aware of any other application.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether provision could be made by (a) ministers or (b) a variation in the determination of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to cover any costs that might be incurred by Scottish Water in the removal of security measures at Milngavie reservoir should such measures prove unnecessary.

Roseanna Cunningham: If security measures prove to be unnecessary, there are a number of options available to Scottish Water to fund their removal depending on the level of expenditure likely to be incurred. The Water Industry Commission for Scotland could consider making funds available if a case can be made that the works are of a high priority.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002 provides ministers with express powers to revoke a direction made using that legislation and, if not, what other legal powers could be used to remove unnecessary security measures.

Roseanna Cunningham: There is no express provision to the contrary, so the power under this Order to make a direction to revoke an existing direction is implicit. However, the power to give a direction under this 2002 Order is exercisable by Scottish ministers concurrently with the Secretary of State and only after consultation with the Secretary of State.

Correction

The reply to question S3W-30785 which was originally answered on 27 January 2010, has been corrected: see page 8657 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-10/wa0224.htm.